1/09/2017

There are merits in the American political system

The pro
independence kids in Hong Kong have a serious contention about their lack of independence
to elect their Chief Executive of preference. The Chief Exedcutive was
shortlisted by China and they felt offended, short changed, as if the election
of the Chief Executive of a country b the people is a universal democratic
formula. Did they know that Singapore also inherited the same British
democratic system and the Prime Minister was elected by the political leaders
among themselves, not by the people? Singapore or Britain did not elect a
politician to be the Prime Minister. The politicians elect among themselves.

The American
system is different in that they more or less elected their President directly.
There is a presidential election though it still has to go through a second
election by an Electoral College of Electors or people’s representative to
confirm the election by the American public. This is not what makes the
American system particularly more democratic than the British system.

What is
distinctive in the American system is that the elected President has a free
hand to handpick the best men and women as his ministers to assist and support
him in the running of the country. These men and women are the Secretaries or
equivalent of Ministers, but not elected by the people, not necessary
politicians. It goes for several other top appointments of the govt as well,
including the judiciary and finance.

The key
difference here is that these men and women are not elected by the people but
experts in their own fields or at least are known to be experts in their
professions related to the appointments. Notice the glaring difference between
these Secretaries and the Ministers in the British system? The latter are
politicians and not necessary experts in their ministries. The stark inadequacy
of the British system is best seen at home when you have eye surgeon helming
the foreign ministry, cancer surgeon helming the defence ministry, generals
helming education, transport, internal affairs, etc etc.

The obvious
Achille’s heel in the British system is that the politicians are politicians
and not necessary experts or professionals and are put into ministries that
they have no clue about, not train in, no expertise in but are expected to
perform like they know everything. Some may perform, some perform hopelessly.

In reality,
not many people are so talented to be experts in things they are not trained in
or even in things they are trained in. Some may be good in passing examinations
but unable to apply what they learned in schools. Politicians are politicians.
Are politicians experts in managing ministries like defence, foreign affairs,
health, education etc etc. In many instances politicians are like salespersons,
good at presentation or presenting what they want to sell, or like
actors/actresses but without the ability to do the professional stuff. They are
not knows all.

There is a
caveat here of course. Despite the obvious flaws in the British system when non
practitioners or non experts are put to helm important ministries, Singapore is
Unique. Our talents are super talents, at least by the measures of their multi
million dollar salaries. And they really become experts overnight in the
ministries they are put in charge.Even
at the lower level they could become experts and advisers in all fields ranging
from sports, arts, cultural, clans or trade associations.

This is the great
difference in Singapore.Though everyone
can see the weaknesses in the British political system, when put into practice
in Singapore, it still works, or at least it works in the past and the momentum
seems to prove that it is still working, for how long we don’t know.

Conceptually,
the American system is more realistic and practical. The President picks the
best experts of the respective fields to do the demanding jobs of the
respective office. A general to head defence ministry, a finance experts to head
finance, health expert to head health ministry etc etc. Logical isn’t it? Of
course there are counter arguments that a soldier is bad to head the defence
ministry and likewise a doctor to head health….

What do you
think? Is there a need to modify our system to allow experts to head ministries
that need and demand people with the professional or relevant training and
experience to helm them? The American system has no mismatch problem. Ours definitely have, but saved by the
abundance of super talents born to be knows all, to become expert in anything
overnight. That is why we did not hear of mismatch in our political system, at
least we never hear of any minister or politician being a mismatch in his job.

The British
system is flawed and its derivative systems, if copied profusely, would be
equally flawed. You not only did not elect the PM/Chief Executive, you have
politicians of all colours trying to make the best of their appointments in
ministries they have no expertise in.

This one from tmg should wise up singaporeans:"Mr Cheng (Calvin) thinks the people’s problem with the (6.9 Population) White Paper was the way it was explained to them, rather than the points in them. He also said that it was time for the People’s Action Party G to expend the political capital it accumulated in the last GE when it scored a landslide victory."

This is the minister materials from Malaysia. I heard he never work but has income. His solution is: Pap must use its political capital now to expand the population to 7millions to eliminate the old folks' problems. Old folks is the main "cause" to this young Malaysian turn Singaporean. I frankly do not know if he was unhappy for low income or far too rich and want other Singaporeans to share his experience to be"rich" without really work.

Got the point? Why appoint this appoint that similar to Obama? At the end, the Nobel Prize Economic published a paper in US, since globalization years 1999 to 2013, the White (do not mix up with White papers here) middle class had highest suicide tendency.Suicide means premature death in US. Singapore has mature aged process, young Malaysian turn Singaporeans thinks it is a problem to him. He Calvin Cheng must write his piece to advise the cabinet to wise up.

I prefer foreigners turn Singaporeans to form Cabinet and appoint PM. It was so fun. Last mrt chief was an anuntie from Malaysia, holding PR not even citizen. She drive several cars including Ferari. I so envy and admired. Come to think of it: Only Malaysians can solve Singaporeans problem. Malaysians do not need to work here, just get invited to do the jobs. Trouble is with Pap, only allow a few paper generals to run the small city like running a restaurant with a few crews. Sometimes the general is meat cutter, chop chop chop, sometimes the general is chief mix sugar with chilli paste and fry meat, then add salt on it. Any things go, the final dish is for citizens to makan. Taste absolutely unquestionable. No system is better than world highest paid politicians. US system NO NO, UK system Not at all. For citizens, follow the White papers system, get no need to work foreigners to rule over them, the system will reach perfection. Name it as Terex system. What do you think?

Over the years, the Government has shed its aversion to state welfarism — rolling out a raft of initiatives to help the needy. Even so, the principles of self-reliance and family support remain sacrosanct.

“You need to be very careful because when individuals don’t see a need ... to depend on themselves, (they will) feel that it’s much easier to not work and get all these handouts,” Mr Tan said.

He also cautioned against veering towards a direction where children neglect their parents because they think the State and the community will step in. “As a society, (we) also need to realise that families do need to take responsibility,” he added.

-----On another related issue, on governance, you understand the above? You see where the problem is or you see the people as the problem?

10:03am"Over the years, the Government has shed its aversion to state welfarism"A good reminder was one old public figure used to "walk" around with 4 young men following. When that old man unstable about to fall, the young man behind would hold his waist gripped the pants. I have questioned: why the sons and daughter cannot help behind him. Answer is straight.

The very person who believe providing welfarism is wrong needed so many manpower to help him walked, ordinary old men and women need no one to help to assist? Or passing the job to the sons and daughters?Often the sons and daughters are the ones who hold their young kids who cannot walk alone on streets not being crushed into pieces.

The state is held by a bunch of wasteful young who think they do not own the problem of old age society? Old age in groups only happen in this century, there was no old age problem when these in power men and women were very young. Yes it was what they meant.

Avoiding to face the problem is my answer. Same as an unemployed man faces the minister. The minister tells the unemployed hey the economy is growing at 1.8%. How can you be unemployed and cannot find job?The answer is: you are unemployed, not me unemployed. U cannot find job is not economy problem. Its you the problem. You can go and vanish.

The solution to old age problem reflects the still immature Cabinet team trying to get drunk to avoid facing the facts of life cycle. They still want to try another round of getting in 3 millions foreigners to ruin the already bad employment situation for the locals who already been indebted due to the unplanned inflation prices in housing. Average household debt is $55k per household in singapore. Without inflows of cash, how to pay off the mandatory outflows of cash to pay debts?

If the Calvin cheng malaysian has his way, it will mean singaporeans household going bankrupt. Suit the malaysian well. Wake up please, singaporeans.

10:12Am"After 50 years, do you think Singapore still has a civil service manned by competent and righteous civil servants?"

Can survive and excel. Civil service need to "global". Change all to graduates from mumbai university graduates and master in south pacific island degree holders. All will be fine for singapore. I look forward to that day.

Forget it, Singaporeans are still not rational or mature enough to even smell the Swiss's arsehole. Maybe in 2 generations, the population, culture and genepool will be more diverse, fluid and reasonable and thus the government the people deserve will be in accord of the zeitgeist of that (future) time.

We still have too many (older) assholes who have fucked old-timey ideas, who refuse to change in spite of the evidence, and who cling neurotically to their brain-shit.When these fuckers finally shed their mortal coils, their shitty ideas will die with them, and the culture can mature and become more in touch with humanity.

Until then, there needs to be an agency to TIGHTLY CONTROL the people of Singapore, and the PAP has been tasked for the job by overwhelming choice.

Like the old Greek poem goes, Singaporeans have at least used the little rationality they have left to get themselves tied to the mast as the ship sails into the territory of the Sirens. Under no circumstances are the to be untied, or they will die. (Ref: The Odyssey by Homer

Singapore, you've made a great mistake in choosing direct election for the presidency. I would seriously consider having PR-status or plans to renounce citizenship and emigrate to another cuntry when (not "if") eventually fall apart, and nose-dives to oblivion. (aka "Matilah Singapura")

NS men, lets fact this fact. When country cannot tahan the words said by politicians and decided to mount simple attack with some parachuters and coastal assualts, will the Malaysians and Indians turned Singaporeans volunteer to be reserves to defend the coastal areas and join the manhunt for hiding parachuters commandos?

These non NS men have no place to talk about Singapore politics. If they can be in Cabinet and offend some countries leading to war, they must be NS men to stay on here to command the troops and no stay out of the fire still talking nonsense. Agree?

It is time to vote for another political party to clean up the messy citizenships. There might be 5th column whose idea is to fire for NS men to extinguish. These 5th column need not to be involved while the politicians siding them thinking they are "globalized" politicians.

Strange thing about this non corrupt government is that they have a law minister....blowing his horn of righteousness and claiming to leave no stone unturned where suspicious activities thrive..such as tax fraud or big time money scandals ....but he blantantly ignore a worldstar man of power, like himself, who has enriched himself and his cronies of community workers....job far more noble than the law minister apparently....can heal cancer even raise the dead old man if need be, law minister can or not?

Now this super anointed man whose main headquarter is in Sin is getting a lot of praises and attention from global citizens....they even highlight his contributions and I wonder...whether the law minister knows he has a counterpart whom he may like to drink tea with and share jokes?

https://youtu.be/CRxksysbcJI

Plenty of such videos...he should have the same recognition as the other Joseph.....schooling

Even rome can be destroyed. What is so great about singapore that it cannot be destroyed? Even sars can send the people panicking and no military might can deal with it. Live and let live. No one system is perfect.

The Hongkies do not know how lucky they are. They can demonstrate, occupy Central, make a lot of noise, make a mockery of the legislative assembly during swearing in and even insult the Basic Law - and still wants to directly elect the Chief Executive. They are tempting the devil by inciting independence!

They also happen to think that an eighteen-year-old can solve their problems. We also have a sixteen-year-old who like to think like their 18-year-old (he's now in the US of A seeking asylum} God bless the country who has to rely on 18-year-olds to be their leaders.

I am not a PAP card-carrying member and great admirer, but I still think they are more sensible than the Hongkie Democrats behind the 18yo. Anson Chan and Martin Lee both carry foreign passports. I'm also sure that most of the other supporters behind the scene also carry foreign passports. What do we call this? Dissenters or saboteurs? At least our ministers carry Singapore passports and served their national service.

Whatever parties we vote in the next election does not make a great difference because we are given the right to do so. We are a better country than most of other aspiring democracies although I personally would like to see more democracy.

I don't know what happens behind the scene of the Terrexes episode, but I think diplomacy is still the best way to deal with it. Singapore ministers would be making a big mistake if they want to go for arbitration. President Duterte of the Philippines is wise because he doesn't want the Philippines to be a pawn in the US' containment of China. He would rather be friends with all.

I recently read an article by a Jiang Dongliu, a researcher at the Charhar Institute with regard to the present relationship among China, US and Singapore. In it he urged the Chinese government not to use economic sanctions on Singapore. He understands the reasons why Singapore has to be close to the US because of our geopolitical situation. But he also emphasized that China has a choice in containing Singapore through the Gwadar Port and the Malacca Gateway as long as Singapore does not change its stance vis-a-vis the US and China.

Our leaders must think long and hard for Singapore's future. This is the paramount challenges ahead for Singapore. As Singaporeans we should support the government of the day (be it the PAP or other political parties) for the betterment of the country.Fred

Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, another member of the SPP, described the Ministerial Committee as a “tragic joke”. “It is like the Boss of ...

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